Thermionic converter emitter support arrangement

Patent · Sun Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:867561

Allen, Daniel T ^[1]

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1. La Jolla, CA

A support is provided for use in a thermionic converter to support an end an emitter to keep it out of contact with a surrounding collector while allowing the emitter end to move axially at its temperatures changes. The emitter end (34) is supported by a spring structure (44) that includes a pair of Belleville springs, and the spring structure is supported by a support structure (42) fixed to the housing that includes the collector. The support structure is in the form of a sandwich with a small metal spring-engaging element (74) at the front end, a larger metal main support (76) at the rear end that is attached to the housng, and with a ceramic layer (80) between them that is bonded by hot isostatic pressing to the metal element and metal main support. The spring structure can include a loose wafer (120) captured between the Belleville springs.

• Research Organization: GA TECHNOLOGIES INC
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-86SF16298
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4963319
• OSTI ID: 867561
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/376/976/
120
34
42
44
74
76
80
allowing
arrangement
attached
axially
belleville
belleville springs
bonded
captured
ceramic
ceramic layer
changes
collector
contact
converter
converter emitter
element
emitter
emitter support
fixed
form
front
hot
hot isostatic
housing
housng
isostatic
isostatic pressing
larger
larger metal
layer
loose
loose wafer
main
main support
metal
metal element
metal main
metal spring
metal spring-engaging
move
move axially
pair
pressing
provided
rear
sandwich
spring
spring structure
spring-engaging
spring-engaging element
springs
structure
support
support arrangement
support structure
supported
surrounding
surrounding collector
temperatures
thermionic
thermionic converter
wafer